Issue 17 - Volume 134

The Vermont Cynic JANUARY 23, 2018

VOL. 134 – ISSUE 17

VTCYNIC.COM

Shutdown puts aid and grants at risk Lindsay Freed Senior Staff Writer UVM will feel the impact of the federal government shutdown if it is not resolved within the next few days.

The shutdown began at midnight Jan. 20 after the U.S. Senate was unable to pass a short-term spending bill, said Wendy Koenig, UVM director of federal and state relations.

This means federal agencies and functions will be closed until new budget legislation can be passed, Koenig said.

“There is never a good time for a shutdown, but this isn’t the worst time,” she said. “Most student aid has already been received.”

The two main areas that could be affected by the shutdown are financial aid and research, Koenig stated in a Jan. 20 email to the UVM community.

In addition, alloted research grants are distributed automatically, Koenig said.

There is greater concern if the shutdown lasts for a longer period of time, which could then affect applications for new loans and grants, Koenig said.

“There are contingencies for if that happens, but we’re hopeful the work happening [in Washington] over the weekend will make the shutdown

GENEVIEVE WINN

short-lived,” she said.

SGA President Chris Petrillo said there are no benefits to the University from the federal government’s inaction.

“Students should not have to worry about government dysfunction during their studies,” he said. “It is disheartening to see the federal government

setting an example of gridlock.”

Petrillo said that UVM still has a functioning government in the SGA. The SGA will continue operations to support the wellbeing of the UVM community, he said.

Essential personnel — the heads of federal departments

and agencies and their immediate support staffs — will remain working through the shutdown, Koenig said.

UVM employees will continue to work through the shutdown.

The House of Representatives initially passed a shortterm spending bill, which

would have continued funding the government until a later date, according to a Jan. 20 Washington Post article.

The Senate was unable to compromise on immigration spending in their version of the legislation, according to the Jan. 20 Congressional Record.

“I am very disappointed that the Republicans chose to shutdown the government,” Bernie Sanders’ office stated in a Jan. 21 email to the Cynic.

Sanders stated that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, insisted on going forward with the resolution rather than negotiating a serious agreement with the Democrats and Republicans that opposed him.

“I hope, based on this vote, that [McConnell] now changes his mind and begins to negotiate seriously,” Sanders stated.

“We must reopen the government as soon as possible.”

The Senate is scheduled to vote on the resolution at noon Jan. 22, according to the Washington Post.

The last government shutdown was in October 2013, when Republican leaders sought to rollback provisions of the Affordable Care Act, according to a Jan. 19 New York Times article.

The 2013 shutdown lasted for 16 days, according to the article.

University decries anti-immigrant MLK Day posters Brandon Arcari Assistant Breaking News Editor The University denounced several posters encouraging the deportation of people of color, which were posted on Waterman green.

The posters, which read “stop importing problems, start exporting solutions,” had photos of three people of color with crimes listed next to their faces.

No Names for Justice, a student advocacy group, wrote a statement on the back of one of the flyers and delivered it to the executive offices in Waterman.

“Found this posted on the door of Waterman,” they wrote on the back of a poster.

“Thought you should know this is happening.

“Prime example of the failure of this community and institution to disempower white supremacy. Happy MLK day.”

The posters do not align with the University’s values, said Enrique Corredera, executive director of university communications.

“These posters appear to have a clear racial and ethnic bias, with disturbing negative connotations,” Corredera said.

“We condemn in the strongest possible terms the discriminatory sentiment associated with these posters.”

BRANDON ARCARI/The Vermont Cynic

Unsigned posters with anti-immigration messages were found on campus the morning of Jan. 15. After a student group brought copies of the signs to the Waterman building, administration denounced the message of the posters in an email to campus the next day.

These posters follow another set of signs hung around campus on Nov. 7 of last year.

Those signs, also posted anonymously, read It’s okay to be white.

Those posters were seen at college campuses across the country, including Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana and Harvard University

in Cambridge, Massachusetts, according to a Nov. 3 Washington Post article.

There is no evidence that the latest posters were related to the “It’s okay to be white” signs.

University President Tom Sullivan sent an email on Jan. 16 to students about the flyers, calling them an assault on

UVM’s institutional values.

“We condemn these flyers unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms,” Sullivan stated. “Our University strives to maintain a welcoming environment for all members of our community.”

Police Services is investigating the posters. The University referred the posters to

the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity and Bias Response teams, he stated.

“Let us be clear, respect and civility are core values expected of all members of the University community and visitors to our campus,” Sullivan stated in the email.

Junior Rachel Frankenfield said she wished for a different response from administration, but was impressed with his message.

“I thought it was really strongly based on the Common Ground, which I think is a little bit of a cop-out from just saying how wrong it is from a moral standpoint,” junior Rachel Frankenfield said.

Frankenfield said that despite this, the fact that Our Common Ground is relevant in these situations consistently makes her proud of UVM’s mission statement as a whole.

Sullivan’s response to the posters was sent on Jan 16, while the posters were first seen on Jan 15.

“Tom Sullivan’s response was more timely than the response to any other bias incident that I’ve [seen] on our campus in the past couple of years,” Frankenfield said.

“I’m really impressed with his strong, clear message against what happened.”

NEWS

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The Vermont Cynic

Jan. 23, 2018

Sophomore accused of groping drops case Brandon Arcari Assistant Breaking News Editor A sophomore has dropped his lawsuit against the University.

His case against the University stated he was denied due process after he was accused of sexually assaulting a female student at a club rugby party last spring.

The lawsuit was dismissed by the sophomore, identified as John Doe, stated Enrique Corredera, the communications director, in a Jan. 14 email.

The female student, identified as Jane Doe, had accused John Doe of groping her at a club rugby party April 28 last year.

The club was cleared after a Title IX investigation, according to the UVM men’s rugby treasurer Matthew Cortigiani.

The dismissal means that John Doe waived his right to bring this lawsuit back to court again, according to Nolo, a legal advice website.

“The plaintiff filed with the court a dismissal of the plain-

The Vermont Cynic

An excerpt from the lawsuit that a sophomore, accused of groping a female student, filed against UVM. The student dropped his case, which claimed the University denied him due process.

It also said the female stutiff’s case,” Corredera stated. co-defendant in the suit. Standent’s accusations against John The lawsuit claimed the ton was said to have a conflict Doe were false, accepted as University chose to make an of interest as both the investifact and denied John Doe due example out of Doe and that gator as well as having to make process of law. there was no evidence to supthe final decision about the The Title IX coordinator, port his one-semester suspencase.

Nick Stanton, was listed as a sion.

John Doe alleged in the

suit that the University violated the 1972 Title IX Education Amendments by having an “anti-male discriminatory bias afflicting UVM’s sexual misconduct policy and procedures.”

In the suit, Doe’s lawyers cited statements from Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in a speech she gave at George Mason University Sept. 7 last year, rescinding the 2011 Dear Colleague letter.

The statements cited included that “the era of ‘rule by the letter’ is over,” and that “every student accused of sexual misconduct must know that guilt is not predetermined.”

UVM was never served with the lawsuit and did not influence John Doe’s decision to dismiss it, Corredera stated.

Corredera said that UVM did not alter Doe’s disciplinary record, sanction or status as a student, nor did it pay any settlement.

“UVM stands behind its policies and processes and how they were applied in John Doe’s case,” Corredera stated.

Burlington Electric to source power within VT Joey Waldinger Assistant News Editor Caroline Derkson Staff Writer

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic

A sign in the Davis Center points towards gender-neutral restrooms Jan. 21. The University announced plans to release a map showing all gender-neutral restrooms by the end of the semester.

Presence of gender-inclusive restrooms expands on campus Meg Trogolo Staff Writer UVM has increased the availability of gender-neutral bathrooms on campus and plans to publish a map showing their locations by the end of the semester.

According to a Dec. 13 email from Vice Provost Annie Stevens, most on-campus buildings now have gender-neutral signs on single-stall restrooms.

Taft School, which is currently under renovation, will have single and multi-stall gender-inclusive restrooms, as will the new athletic center, which is set to begin construction in early 2019.

Some gender-specific restrooms in Mann Hall and Royall Tyler Theatre will be converted to gender-inclusive restrooms as well.

The Dec. 13 email listed a number of existing restrooms on campus which have been or are being converted to gender-inclusive restrooms.

There is not yet a public map of gender-inclusive restrooms on the UVM campus.

“Generally, UVM does a pretty good job with providing information about bathrooms, but until [the email],

I didn’t know where on campus there were gender-neutral bathrooms,” said first-year Hayden Rungren, who identifies as nonbinary.

In 2016, UVM established the Gender-Inclusive Restroom Task Force made up of administrators, LGBTQA Center staff and students.

The task force released a report in August 2016 detailing the status of gender-neutral restroom availability at UVM and suggesting courses of action to improve accessibility.

“The task force’s goal is to expand gender-inclusive restrooms across the campus, beginning with buildings that are in the most high-traffic areas,” Stevens said. “I believe the responses to this effort have been quite positive.”

Such high-traffic areas include Bailey/Howe Library, the Davis Center and the Waterman building, as well as most academic buildings, the UVM medical complex, and the Patrick/Forbush/Gutterson athletic complex, according to the report.

The task force recommended that UVM creates at least one gender-neutral multistall restroom in each campus building, the report stated.

Additionally, the task force suggested changing signage on all single-stall restrooms so that they are designated by accessibility and baby-changing facilities rather than gender, the report stated.

The report also suggested establishing standards for gender-neutral restrooms in all new construction, as well as communicating clearly with the UVM community about where on campus gender-neutral restrooms already exist and are being created.

Rungren said that using the gender-neutral bathrooms is easy and “not anxiety-inducing.”

Gender-inclusive restrooms have been the subject of nationwide debate in recent years.

In 2016, the Obama administration issued guidelines stating that public educational institutions should allow transgender students to use the restrooms that correspond with their gender identities.

In February 2017, however, the Trump administration rescinded those guidelines.

Burlington Electric will begin to source its hydropower from within Vermont.

As part of its contract with Great River Hydro LLC, a company that operates 13 hydroelectric plants, Burlington Electric will receive electricity from three Great River plants on the Connecticut River, according to a Jan. 3 press release from the Burlington Electric Department.

Hydro power is renewable energy produced by dams.

Increasing the speed with which electricity can flow out of the grid, this new contract will keep “electric rates low and stable in our city,” the press release stated.

Burlington Electric will save money by not having to pay for the transportation of electricity produced far away, said Paul Hines, an electric and biomedical engineering professor who studies electrical energy systems.

When electricity doesn’t have to travel such far distances, the chance of losing it before it reaches the grid decreases, this also reduces costs, he said.

The lower prices are the result of a better contract with Great River Hydro than with NextEra Energy, the company that formerly supplied Burlington’s hydropower, said Ed McNamara, director of planning and energy resources at the Vermont Department of Public Service.

The details of energy contracts largely have to do with “what people think the energy market is going to look

like,” McNamara said. They are based on people’s assumptions of future energy prices.

Decreasing energy prices probably helped Burlington Electric negotiate lower prices, he said.

While Burlington Electric negotiated a better price, they also “purchased more valuable energy,” the press release stated.

The energy will be delivered during the hours of the day when the use is highest and purchasing it becomes more expensive, Hines said.

“It’s the time of greatest demand...so the power is worth more,” said Mike Kanarick, manager of customer and communications at Burlington Electric.

Even when the high-use hours are over, it doesn’t mean that the power is gone. Unused electricity is added to the available pool of energy, Kanarick said.

Burlington Electric began forming the new hydropower plan roughly six months ago, James Gibbons, director of policy and planning at Burlington Electric, said.

With the current contract set to expire Dec. 31, the utility was looking for a new company they could establish a deal with, Kanarick said.

It would be difficult to power larger cities on 100 percent renewable energy since the needs are much greater, Gibbons said.

Sophomore Gillian Gallagher, a civil engineering major, agreed that using this energy source in big cities would be problematic and difficult.

“Space and resources are the biggest issues,” she said.

The Vermont Cynic

LIFE

Jan. 23, 2018

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Don’t sweat it, coolness is a social construct Katie Brobst Assistant Life Editor When I was in kindergarten, the cool kids wore bell bottoms and were growing out their baby bangs.

But the definition of cool grows more complicated as we get older.

Now, coolness is measured by how many personal electronics you have and whether or not your ears are pierced.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines the cool aesthetic as a person “not affected by passion or emotion.”

The crowdsourced definition on Urban Dictionary describes someone cool as “superior, desirable, worthy of approval.”

Every subculture and social group has its own criteria for what is considered cool. This can be expressed in the way you dress, how you act and the slang you use.

And in college, you are essentially thrown into a new set of criteria for what it means to be cool.

“I think there are actually a few different kinds of cool at UVM,” senior Claudia Garber said.

Garber believes that in a big university, being cool can mean something different for every social group.

“For some, it’s cool to be trendy and wear quirky clothes, but for others it might be cool to be part of a fraternity,” she said.

Here, it’s cool to listen to indie rock music; it’s cool to dye your hair; it’s cool to have a man bun and it’s cool to spend

IZZY SIEDMAN afternoons in a hammock behind the chapel.

“Anyone in outing club,” sophomore Abbey Gallaudet said when asked about the epitome of a cool UVM student.

As a senior, I’ve noticed that, especially among the upperclassmen, aloofness is the key to cool.

Gallaudet said coolness in college is very different from high school.

Where sports, popularity and significant others all seemed to matter back then, “nobody really cares about that here,” Gallaudet said.

The disinterested and composed attitude that characterizes cool people at UVM opposes the attitudes of other subsets, such as the nerds. I identify with this group.

In my opinion, nerds are people who care about something a lot — they are over-

ly-enthusiastic and passionate about one particular thing.

This passion directly opposes the emotional control and indifference that is associated with being cool.

When a professor asks a question, it’s cool to sit back, cross your arms and remain haughtily silent.

Letting your hand shoot up to answer shows that you care and have interest in what is being discussed, and being inter-

ested is not cool.

But I would vote in an instant that people who are passionate, engaged and yes, nerdy, are incredibly fun to be around.

I try not to spend my time worrying about looking or acting cool, but I do think about how how others see me.

A February 2012 University of Rochester study boiled coolness down to this: “Do I like this person? Is this person nice to people, attractive, confident and successful?”

There’s no set definition for cool and though it can be mysterious and alluring, “I think it’s important to be yourself,” Gallaudet said. “If you do that, you’ll find the people who think you’re cool.”

In film class, I learned about a concept related to coolness: the other.

The other is how we perceive everyone else to be acting or doing.

It’s what kids are referring to when they “everyone else is doing it, mom.”

In reality, everyone is doing a variety of things and the concept of other, much like cool, is arbitrary.

It’s silly then that we so often let these trivial ideas govern our actions and behaviors.

“I think people are always concerned about being cool,” Garber said. “Maybe cool is just a setting on air conditioners.”

Katie Brobst is a senior English and film major who proudly counts herself as a nerd who cares.

Music fanatics say Burlington is totally judging you Libby Camp Staff Writer While walking down the street in Burlington, the buzz of bass and licks of guitar reverberate from buildings all around.

Burlington’s flourishing music scene is expansive in scale but perhaps limiting in its inclusion of different genres.

There are over 20 different venues in a 15 square-mile radius, a budding DIY community and 42,000 people to enjoy all of the offerings.

With such a large population comes a wide variety of student and local bands.

Phish formed at UVM in 1983, Strangefolk formed in 1991 and nowadays there’s no shortage of new bands to go see at Radio Bean, such as Bison, The Onlys and Gestalt.

However, with a fervor for music comes a hierarchy of tastes and genres perpetuated by college culture.

People are sometimes shamed for listening to certain kinds of music, said sophomore Noah Schneidman, leader of the band Full Walrus.

“I think that in communities where music is really im-

portant it’s more of a problem than in others,” Schneidman said.

Schneidman said that when music becomes such a defining factor in people’s personalities, it also leads to stereotypes.

“If you like indie music, then you cuff your jeans, go to basement shows and drink PBR, whereas if you like trap then you aren’t politically sensitive and you wear joggers,” he said.

Sophomore Ben Schnier says a lot of people have snap judgements when they hear what others are listening to.

“Like, ‘wow do they really listen to that?’” he said.

“Because most of the scene doesn’t range past the indie scene, other genres are associated with certain audiences and stigmas,” sophomore Emma King said.

With social pressure to remain in the indie music community, Schneidman said, it’s common for people to be afraid to say that they like certain songs or types of music.

“I think it’s not an unrealistic thing to do,” Schneidman said. “People are afraid of not seeming cool enough just be-

cause they may like a popular artist.”

“I think [if you like popular music], those around you might question whether or not you have an ear for what you really like, or if you are just following what is popular,” Schnier said. “It’s kind of more special, or unique, to listen to different stuff.”

King also said that this problem is perpetuated by UVM-sponsored organizations such as WRUV. In order to achieve a variety of music, it’s part of the WRUV policy to never play songs from the Billboard Top 100, present or past, said Rachel O’Neill, WRUV station manager.

“By creating this rule, it’s excluding a lot of its listeners and titling those who listen to that type of music as ‘basic.’ Honestly, it’s pretty unfair because some popular music is valu-

able,” King said.

This culture of music-consciousness creates guilty pleasures for certain people, Schnier said.

“For me, some of my secret songs are like Taylor Swift’s old songs, like ‘You Belong With Me’ and ‘Love Story,’” Schnier said.

His openness about the music he likes also depends on the age of those around him, Schnier said.

“If I’m around older people, I usually am not talking to them about how much I love Kanye West, because I know they are just going to judge me for it,” he said.

100 P O T

taylor swift merch

billboard music award winners

But when it comes to music shaming, not everyone thinks a solid solution exists.

“I feel like people will always have preconceived opinions about certain genres,” Schnier said. “Opinions are acceptable, but shaming people isn’t acceptable.”

Like different opinions on food or sports teams, music might never be agreed upon, he said, and that means some form of shaming will always persist.

“Being judgmental is natural to human beings,” Schneidman said.

“But people who are shallow enough to judge you for your music taste obviously aren’t going to be good people to be around, so just like what you like and do what makes you happy,” he said.

However, King thinks that certain steps can be taken to push back against music shamers. “[We need to] expand the DIY scene in Burlington to allow more genres of music, have WRUV play all types of music, open spaces dedicated to certain genres and don’t let people be assholes,” King said.

KYRA CHEVALIER

LIFE

4

The Vermont Cynic

Jan. 23, 2018

Stop and think before you get forever inked Not everyone can claim no ‘ragrets’ in the casual culture of tattoos Autumn Lee Life Columnist

low-class connotations.

We settled on the ankle, a spot future employers would hardly see.

Little did they know, I had already strategically placed stick and pokes out of sight as well.

Since that bouquet of flowers on my ankle, I’ve continued to get little tattoos that appeal to me.

I even have a quote reading, “l’art pour l’art,” which means “make art for the sake of art,” to show my dedication and love of the arts.

With the rise in popularity of tattoos, along with their growing cultural acceptance, I’ve noticed the individuality and personal meaning that used to come with tattoos seems to be fading.

Tattoos have transitioned from a sign of rebellion to almost a sign of conformity.

A body without a tattoo can be refreshing, especially around a college campus.

Many turn to coverups or tattoo removal to hide mistakes they thought they would love for the rest of their lives.

According to a July 2014 Cosmopolitan article, tattoo removals have risen 440 percent in the last 10 years.

Others decide to cover up their tattoos with a design that transforms the old one into something more fitting.

With six different patches of my skin now inked, I give one piece of advice: Before you go under the needle to express yourself or show your partner you love

Tattoos are permanent pieces of art.

They are a form of expression, and it seems like everyone is into them — even grandmas.

I entered adulthood in a time when not just motorcyclists and sailors got tattoos.

One in five Americans sports ink, so it’s not surprising that 40 percent of millennials report having tattoos, according to an October 2016 Atlantic article.

Through my teens, I was passionate about getting inked and kept Pinterest boards with designs I hoped I would get on my body someday.

But that changed when I was 15 and learned about stick and pokes from a magazine.

Stick and pokes are homemade tattoos that are done by sticking an ink-coated needle in and out of the skin freehand.

As soon as I got my hands on some India ink and sewing needles, I worked away, leaving some not-so-pretty things on my thighs.

When I look back on them now, I often regret my hasty decisions.

After putting my body at risk of infections from amateur tattooing, I finally got my first professional tattoo by an artist after turning 18.

I had to beg my parents to allow it.

They grew up in a generation where tattoos had trashy,

FYI

them by getting their name tattooed on your butt, consider if you’re going to like it when you’re older.

Tattoos can be a fun and beautiful way to make your body into a piece of art.

However, you don’t want to spend the rest of your beach days explaining that the clover on your thigh is not in fact a tiny penis, like I do.

Whatever your decision, make sure the artist is using new needles and gloves and the studio is clean.

Aftercare is essential. Always tip your tattoo artist.

Autumn Lee sometimes regrets the tiny phallic-looking tattoo on her thigh. She is a sophomore and has been writing for the Cynic since fall 2017.

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic Sophomore Autumn Lee shows off a few of her tattoos.

Gear up for colder weather Sex Ed w/ Jenna with these seasonal essentials

Introducing the next jennaration of sex education

honest. inclusive. comprehensive.

Jenna Emerson is a new sexuality educator with The Center for Health and Wellbeing at Living Well.

Request a program today! for teams, clubs, FSL, classes, trainings etc.

Possible topics to request include: Reproductive and Sexual Health Intimacy and Relationships Sexual Consent and Communication Gender and Sexual Identities Orgasms and Pleasure

To request a program go to:

uvm.edu/health/forms/program-request follow us online: @LivingWellUVM

Libby Camp Staff Writer

Though the Princeton Review ranks UVM as one of the top-10 greenest universities in the country, campus is looking pretty white this season.

The city of Burlington received a total of 20 inches of snow in the one month students were gone and had an average temperature of 19 degrees, according to Weather Underground.

And in weather like this, there are a few necessities.

Here’s a list of winter must-haves, all of which can be purchased at stores in the Burlington area.

Patagonia: Nano Air Jacket $249 If there’s one item to invest in, it’s a good winter jacket.

Since 1972, Patagonia has been selling clothes for climbers and lovers of the outdoors, and this is their top-rated jacket, according to their website. Its polyester insulation is warm, stretchy and breathable.

The company’s mission states that they use strictly organic cotton and donate 1 percent of their profits to grassroots environmental groups around the world.

L.L. Bean: 8” Bean Boots $129 Bean boots are a staple of

MAX GREENWOOD winter wear, and to be frank, of UVM fashion. Many students sport the classic lace-up boot, and in the fall they can score exclusive deals when L.L. Bean’s boot-shaped van visits campus.

Their water-resistant leather keeps toes dry, and the chain-tread soles give great grip when trudging those unplowed shortcuts on campus.

The triple-stitched seams ensure durability. There’s a reason so many brands try to imitate this iconic shoe.

David’s Tea: Nordic Mug $23 What better way to stay warm than a steaming cup of tea, coffee or cocoa? David’s Tea has built the perfect mug

that includes an infuser and a lid. It holds 16 ounces of a hot beverage of your choice and the handle makes it easy to carry to class. The mug comes in 10 colors and is sure to warm you up.

Sox Market: World’s Softest Crew Socks $7.99 Socks are not only the perfect way to keep toes toasty, they can also be fun and fashionable.

Sox Market offers cloudsoft crew socks for men and women in 18 different colors with a reinforced heel and seamless toe for extra comfort.

Try peeking a pair of these out of the top of your boots.

The Vermont Cynic

OPINION

Jan. 23, 2018

The Vermont

CYNIC

Campus organizations create safe spaces Staff Editorial

T EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Erika B. Lewy editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Greta Bjornson newsroom@vtcynic.com OPERATIONS Advertising Manager Kaysie Smith ads@vtcynic.com Distribution Manager Brittnay Heffermehl distribution@vtcynic.com PR Manager Brooke Rubell cynicpr@gmail.com EDITORIAL Arts Bridget Higdon arts@vtcynic.com Copy Chief George Seibold copy@vtcynic.com Features Maggie Richardson bside@vtcynic.com Life Izzy Siedman life@vtcynic.com Multimedia William Dean Wertz media@vtcynic.com News Lauren Schnepf news@vtcynic.com Opinion Sydney Liss-Abraham opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts Chloe Chaobal chloe.chaobal@uvm.edu Sports Eribert Volaj sports@vtcynic.com Video Kailey Bates video@vtcynic.com Web Connor Allan web@vtcynic.com DESIGN Layout Eileen O’Connor layout@vtcynic.com Photo Phil Carruthers photo@vtcynic.com Illustrations Genevieve Winn illustrations@vtcynic.com Assistant Editors Henry Mitchell (Opinion), Locria Courtright (Sports), Tiana Crispino (Layout), Kyra Chevalier (Layout), Katie Brobst (Life), Joey Waldinger (News) Copy Editors Izzy Abraham, Brandon Arcari, Michelle Derse Lowry, Lindsay Freed, Sabrina Hood, Claire MacQueen, Jacob Potts, Greta Puc ADVISING Faculty Adviser Chris Evans crevans@uvm.edu

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his week, we got a tip from a student about racist posters posted around the Waterman green.

We thought it was old news – two months old, in fact. The front page of the Nov. 14 issue of the Cynic read “Posters highlight racial tensions.”

Old news? Unfortunately not.

These posters were round two. The same white nationalist message with a more targeted attack: anti-immigrant and anti-people of color.

The posters read “Stop importing problems, start exporting solutions.”

The tactic is similar. It’s nighttime. The majority of campus is empty of students, faculty and staff.

When we wake up the next morning, someone has anonymously papered central campus with unsigned hateful posters.

We thank the University for its efforts in fighting back. But it’s becoming embarrassing to call ourselves UVM students.

For anyone wondering why there is so little diversity on campus, just look at the news.

Look outside at the signposts.

People are putting up posters that demand the removal of POCs and immigrants. Literally: “Go away. You’re not welcome.”

The posters contribute to

“Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Martin Luther King Jr. a climate of aggression and intentional subordination. While the University investigates who is putting the posters up, we look for our own way to take action.

As a media organization, we call on our community to act.

As a student group, we open our doors and offer a second home at UVM. Many places on campus are sanctuary spaces: the Mosaic Center for Students of Color, Living/Learning Center and the Allen House.

The Cynic is one of the many student-run organizations that

welcomes those looking for a place to feel welcomed, valued and affirmed.

Our office is a sanctuary for people of all identities. If you’re feeling unsafe or unwelcome on campus, those feelings are valid. If you just want a place to feel comfortable, know that our office is a welcoming space.

You do not need to be a reporter or artist to join our community. Our doors are open to all.

And, if you are looking for a place to share your experience, we welcome the contributions of all voices. Let yours be heard.

Staff editorials officially reflect the views of the Vermont Cynic. Signed opinion pieces and columns do not necessarily do so. The Cynic accepts letters in response to anything you see printed as well as any issues of interest in the community. Please limit letters to 350 words. The Cynic reserves the right to edit letters for length and grammar. Please send letters to opinion@vtcynic.com.

A stream of consciousness regarding today’s politics Henry Mitchell

H

a! Trump called himself a “very stable genius” who is “like, really smart” on his twitter Jan. 6.

What an egomaniac; he is totally not qualified to be president. Lemme just tweet at him the excerpt of “Fire and Fury” that says he eats cheeseburgers in bed. Now he will look stupid on Twitter.

Not that he needs me to make him look stupid; look at the whole “shithole” comment he made in the Oval Office Jan. 11. I shouldn’t be surprised that Trump wants Norwegians instead of Haitians, but having his son Eric cover up his racism by saying “he is the least racist person I know?” What a joke.

Oh that’s right, I should go see if Stephen Colbert said anything good on his show.

Oh man, Stephen really made Trump look stupid with a cheeseburger joke too, nice.

I’m glad someone famous is willing to take shots at him, maybe he’ll shut up if people make fun of him more.

Hmm, now people are calling him mentally ill. I guess that makes sense — I mean, I don’t see any problems with diagnosing someone with mental disabilities to get him kicked out of his job. It’s weird how psychologists have refrained from doing this since

SAMANTHA GRAHAM that Barry Goldwater guy, but I’m glad they started doing it again for Trump. Hello? Twenty-fifth Amendment anybody?

Who the hell is this Ronny Jackson guy and how can he be a doctor if he’s qualified Trump as “very stable?” I have no medical expertise, but even I can tell he’s bonkers. Seriously, I usually agree with experts, but I’m going to ignore Ronny because he’s clearly biased.

Oh well, at least we’re gonna take control of Congress in the midterm elections. We dominated with Doug Jones in Alabama, so now we’re gonna win

everywhere else too because of how bad Republicans look.

That reminds me, I wonder if Trump’s ever gonna stop complaining about fake news.

Can’t he admit it’s Fox News that’s lying to the public with fake news? Oh wait, he can’t, because they’re biased. Like, how do people not know that they’re being lied to? Conservatives really make me lose faith in humanity.

Luckily Oprah is running for president in 2020 — she is gonna save us all since her speech at the Golden Globes was amazing. I know that she

has literally zero experience in politics, but she’s really smart and nice. I feel like there’s some other billionaire TV personality who recently ran for office, but I can’t remember who, or why that would be a bad idea.

Oh well.

I guess I should go to bed now. If only everyone was as informed and level-headed as I am, then maybe there wouldn’t be so much polarization...

Henry Mitchell is a firstyear political science major.

He has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.

6

The Vermont Cynic

OPINION

Jan. 23, 2018

Feminism has to transcend generational differences Mills Sparkman

W

hile watching the Golden Globe Awards with my parents, I noticed something interesting.

As I cheered on Seth Meyers and his jokes skewering Harvey Weinstein, Woody Allen and other male celebrities accused of sexual assault, my parents seemed bored about 10 minutes in.

They began questioning the legitimacy of certain claims.

“Al Franken? He was such a good senator, too bad.”

“Okay, but does grabbing her butt really count as assault?”

Second-wave feminists (1960s-70s) and third-wave feminists (1990s-10s) have significantly different views on sexual misconduct.

Third-wavers are usually quick to call out any form of sexual harassment, assault or abuse, whether large or small.

Second-wavers, on the oth-

er hand, tend to dismiss smaller offenses, such as unwanted touching or sexual comments.

One clear example of their differences is their reaction to a Jan. 14 article on Babe.net about a young woman’s negative sexual encounter with comedian Aziz Ansari.

Although both waves admitted experiencing similar situations in which their partners were unaware of their discomfort, second-wavers who placed the blame on the young

woman — called Grace — for not being more direct with Ansari about her discomfort.

One reason for their reactions is the differences between their battles and the ones third-wavers fight today.

Their efforts gave us Title IX, Roe v. Wade and the Civil Rights Act, which are undeniably valuable.

Some might say that while they fought for fundamental rights we take for granted, third-wavers make mountains

EMMA PINEZICH

Coercion is not consent: the dialogue following the Aziz Ansari scandal fails Madeleine Cary

I

t started with women sharing their stories of sexual harassment and assault with #MeToo. The Time’s Up movement focused on the insidious sexual harassment in Hollywood.

It has been painful, but also legitimizing, to see perpetrators brought to justice. Harvey Weinstein. Matt Lauer. Kevin Spacey.

Women everywhere who have been intimidated, harassed and silenced found their voices.

A recent testimony in a Jan. 14 article on Babe.net changed the conversation and the movement.

The article was the account of one woman — referred to in the article under the alias Grace — and her date with famous comedian Aziz Ansari that ended in a sexual assault.

The article, titled “I went on a date with Aziz Ansari. It turned into the worst night of my life,” faced immediate backlash, but nowhere was the reaction more visceral than from CNN host Ashleigh Banfield.

According to Banfield, Grace was overreacting, and as a result jeopardized the whole movement.

“You had an unpleasant date. And you did not leave.

That is on you.

And all the gains that have been achieved on your behalf and mine are now being compromised by the allegations that you threw out there — and I’m going to call reckless and hollow,” she said.

But Grace’s experience shouldn’t be so easily dismissed.

“Most of my discomfort was expressed in me pulling away and mumbling. I know that my hand stopped moving at some points... I stopped moving my lips and turned cold,” Grace told Babe.

During a traumatic event, your brain will produce certain hormones like catecholamines, which assist in the “fight or flight” response, but impair rational thought.

This makes sense if you’re under unbelievable stress, according to the Arkansas Coalition Against Against Sexual Assault.

“The parts of the prefrontal cortex that allow humans to do ‘IF this, THEN that’ do not work at their optimal levels when catecholamine levels are high,” according to the Arkansas Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

Your body, frozen in fear, loses the power of rational thought. Your body also produces high levels of opiate hormones, which act as “natural

morphine” in the body, but inhibits the ability to communicate.

“I had to say no a lot. He wanted sex. He wanted to get me drunk and then fuck me,” Grace said.

Coercion is, in some people’s minds, the “gray” issue of consent. In Aziz Ansari’s statement, he maintained that the sexual activity at the end of the night was “by all indications consensual” and that he had “misread things in the moment.”

But here’s the deal: coercion is not consent. If you have to weasel, threaten, blackmail, intimidate, manipulate or in any way influence your partner, the decision to engage in sexual activity was not made mutually. Say it with me: coercion is not consent.

Grace shared her story and was vilified for it. “Boys will be boys” turned into “boys aren’t mind readers.” She did not send our movement back — she brought it forward.

This case has changed the conversation around sexual misconduct. I hope that we will begin to teach younger generations the difference between force and free will.

Madeleine Cary is a senior English major and survivor.

She has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.

out of molehills. However, second-wavers recieved the same message when they first started their fight against inequality.

While many obstacles of basic gender inequality have been settled, by no means are the struggles women face today less important.

Not everything that feminists protest today had been seen as sexual harassment or assault in the past, making today’s investigations of the gray areas long overdue.

Neither generation is wrong in its beliefs, but each has something to learn from the other.

Third-wavers can learn that the rights we have today were not always given freely, and that it is necessary to see the bigger picture to make bigger changes.

Second-wavers can learn that even microaggressions can carry significant weight, and ultimately contribute to much larger problems if not stopped.

Both can educate themselves on the circumstances of the other generation. Both generations can cooperate, rather than call out, to build a more collaborative and inclusive form of feminism.

Mills Sparkman is a first-year political science major and feminist. She has been writing for the Cynic since 2017.

The Vermont Cynic

Jan. 23, 2018

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SPORTS

8

The Vermont Cynic

Jan. 23, 2018

Men’s hockey bounces back after close loss Curt Berry Staff Writer The Catamounts fell just short of their fifth win of the season Friday night, as the University of Massachusetts Lowell came back from a twogoal deficit.

Vermont held a two goal lead with 11 minutes left in the third, until Lowell scored three unanswered goals, including an overtime goal by forward Connor Wilson.

The Catamounts started the game off strong, outshooting Lowell 10-5 in the first period.

One of those shots ended up in the back of the net by sophomore defenseman Jake Massie at 11:58. He was assisted by first-year forward Alex Esposito and sophomore forward Matt Alvero.

Vermont’s good start died during intermission. Lowell outshot UVM 15-7, and had many power play chances in the second.

Sophomore goaltender Stefanos Lekkas was able to hold it off.

With nine minutes to play in the period, junior forward Liam Coughlin extended the lead to 2-0, assisted by junior forward Craig Puffer and senior forward Jarrid Privitera.

UVM couldn’t prevent the River Hawks from breaking out in the third period.

Forward Charlie Levesque cut the lead in half at 9:40. A few minutes later, forward Connor Sodergren tied it up

Photo courtesy of UVM Athletics

Junior forward Liam Coughlin skates down the ice Jan. 20 against UMass Lowell. After two games against Lowell, the Catamounts are now 5-15-4. while on a penalty kill.

The game stretched into overtime, and a bench penalty from UVM lead to a power play goal by forward Connor Wilson at 2:23.

This was UVM’s 15th loss this season.

“We played well for 90 percent of the game, but if we’re going to puck watch and lose guys defensively, then that’s gonna happen,” head coach Kevin Sneddon said.

Sneddon said that his team was going to use the same strategy in their matchup Saturday night.

The Catamounts offense responded Saturday, with a 6-3 win. Coughlin had three goals on the night, including a late open netter.

UVM played very strong in the first period, getting out to a 3-0 lead while netting two goals on a five on three. Esposito, Coughlin and senior forward Anthony Petruzzelli all scored late in the first within three minutes of each other.

UMass made an effort to come back in the second period. They put up three goals, all scored on power plays.

Coughlin scored on a pow-

er play for his second goal of the game at 2:32 before that.

The score was 4-3 at the end of the second.

UVM was able to hold off the River Hawks comeback threat for a second night in a row.

At 10:44, sophomore forward Ross Colton took advantage of a breakaway, giving the Catamounts a two goal lead.

This time they held on.

Coughlin got his hat trick at 18:27 on an open net, sealing a 6-3 victory for the Cats.

Sneddon was pleased with the team’s effort, especially his

power play unit.

“We got the lead on our powerplay executing well and a great job by Coughlin to get a couple goals for us on it,” Sneddon said.

The team’s physicality was a huge factor in the game as well.

“We did a great job tonight finishing checks and had a lot of blocked shots out there,” Coughlin said.

The Catamounts hope to keep winning as they travel to North Andover, Massachusetts to face Merrimack College Jan. 26 and Jan. 27.

Junior forward brings repeated success on the court Will Santacrocce Staff Writer Last year, junior forward Hanna Crymble started every game. She led the women’s basketball team in points and rebounds.

It was her first season on the team.

Crymble was awarded the America East Conference Rookie of the Week four times and qualified for the All-Rookie team.

This season looks no different.

This year Crymble has started every game and leads the team in both points and rebounds. She also won the America East Conference player of the week last November after an incredible 37 point performance.

Crymble’s career started when she was in second grade, she said.

She joined a recreational team, and started as a point guard, Crymble said.

“At that age anybody with any basketball skill is a point guard,” she said.

Now, at 6 feet 3 inches, Crymble is a forward. In the paint, she hustles for every rebound and is not afraid to shoot from both mid-range and on the post.

She mentioned that enter-

RYAN KIEL-ZABEL/The Vermont Cynic

Sophomore forward Hannah Crymble goes up for a layup against UNH Jan. 18. Crymble is currently leading the team in both points and rebounds. ing the game in the right mindset is important to her success in the past two seasons.

She stressed the importance of hard work and aggressive yet smart basketball, which can be observed not only in her play, but from the whole team.

Speaking about this season, she said that “team chemistry is going really well.” Crymble considers herself “fortunate” for this.

“Not a lot of Division One

basketball teams get along very well,” Crymble said, “but UVM is different. We are like a family here.”

This has become a problem.

“We used to not get scruffy in practice,” Crymble said.

But they are working on separating their on and off court lives.

“We are starting to get scrappy in practice and making each other better,” she said.

Head coach Chris Day also

helps the team work together and play hard.

“He’s always on our side,” Crymble said. “He’s very passionate about what he does.”

After the team’s most recent loss to the University of New Hampshire, their record dropped to 5-13, but Crymble is confident that the unit is on the upswing.

“It’s looking up from here,” she said.

Crymble continued her run of form with 17 points in a 53-

47 win against Hartford.

She has now reached double digits in points in 16 consecutive games, according to UVM athletics.

There are 10 games left in the season.

The remainder of the matchups are all America East divisionals.

The next game is Wednesday Jan. 24 against the University at Albany.

The Vermont Cynic

Jan. 23, 2018

SPORTS

9

Student-athletes score record GPA Sabrina Hood Staff Writer UVM student-athletes achieved the highest GPA on record in the history of UVM athletics for the fall 2017 semester.

They earned an average cumulative GPA of 3.28, according to UVM athletics.

“It was nice to see the hard work that our student-athletes, coaches, the Student-Athlete Development and Academic Affairs Department and our professors paid off this semester,” said Cathleen Rahill, associate director of athletics, student-athlete development and academic affairs.

Coaches help improve students’ athletic skills, but also serve as part of a support system to ensure academic success, Rahill said.

“We make sure to point out all the small victories during the week with grades that come back on tests and quizzes,” stated Chris Feifs, men’s lacrosse head coach, in a Jan. 18 email.

Student-athletes also have the Student-Athlete Development and Academic Affairs Department as an option for academic support.

The department provides support for student-athletes, but does not take the place of faculty advisors, Rahill said.

“We always tell our student-athletes that they need to be seeing their faculty advisors first,” she said.

A large part of their role is to

Locria Courtright Assistant Sports Editor

ERIN BUNDOCK connect students to other resources, Rahill said.

The department has policies set in place to help with their academic success, including an academic success center and mandated study hours, she said.

The coaching staff recruits strong students and creates a team culture that values academic success, stated athletics director Jeff Schulman in a Jan. 10 UVM athletics article.

“It is important for our program to find young men who are self-motivated and want to be successful in the working world post college,” Feifs stated. “This tends to lend itself to a more focused approach with improving and contributing on

the lacrosse field.”

The Catamount Sports Psychology Counseling Department has become another resource this past year where student athletes can also go for support.

“I think that has also played a significant role in this, in that student athletes have a place to go right here in [Patrick Gym] to get support on sport psychology issues, but also counseling issues if they’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed,” Rahill said.

With last semester’s achievement, many are optimistic that student-athletes will continue to be successful this spring.

“Our guys are proud of

the standard they have set, but they also realize that they must live in the present and attack the challenges the current semester will throw at us, all while playing a demanding spring schedule on the field,” Feifs stated.

Rahill expressed similar optimism for the upcoming semester.

“Our first-years had a really strong semester, which is usually indicative of having a strong class, so I think we clearly have a strong group of student athletes here right now,” Rahill said. “I’d predict that they’d have another strong semester in the spring.”

PHIL CARRUTHERS/The Vermont Cynic

Senior captain Courtney Cole runs downfield against Stony Brook University, April 14.

Women’s lacrosse looking ahead after rough season Stephanie Aurenz Staff Writer Women’s lacrosse will be back on the field in less than a month. The team is feeling optimistic coming out of preseason.

The Catamounts struggled last year going 1-15 for the season, but senior captain Courtney Cole said the team is looking strong.

“We got the opportunity to have several captain’s practices to shake out some nerves before we hit the ground running on Sunday,” Cole said.

Head coach Sarah Dalton is also confident about the team’s

New eSports league kicks off

future.

“Coming off of a productive fall where we played our best in our final fall competition has us excited to begin the season and continue to build on our foundation,” Dalton said. “The energy is high in the weight room and on the field with conditioning.”

One of the main goals is to have consistency from start to finish, she said.

The team wants to make it back to the American East Tournament and continue to build on the positive culture, Cole said.

“As a team, we want to continue to improve and build our

relationships on and off the field to help our team dynamic and continue to push ourselves and each other to be the best team that we can be,” she said.

The Cats have also acquired three transfer students; Dalton and Cole are excited to see what these new players will add to the team.

“They bring a lot of enthusiasm, energy and hard work,” Cole said.

The new players bring a competitive edge and raise the play from everyone around them, Dalton said.

Redshirt senior Alex Bernier, seniors Cole and Elena

McWright, juniors Jenna Janes and Micaela O’Mara and sophomore Morgan Furbay are also important returners for the season, Dalton said.

The Cats are working on building and perfecting their offensive and defensive sets, Cole said.

The team kicks off their season in a game against Colgate University Feb. 17 at Virtue Field.

“Colgate is always a good challenge for us,” Cole said.

“They’ve always brought us great competition and I can’t wait to compete against them one last time.”

As spectators took their seats in anticipation, the athletes they had come to watch took their positions as well.

They were also sitting in chairs.

The fans in Blizzard Arena in Burbank, California witnessed the beginning of a new eSports league Jan. 10. eSports is a form of organized competitive online gaming that is often televised, with spectators filling up arenas.

The Los Angeles Valiant and San Francisco Shock played in the first game of the inaugural Overwatch League. The Valiant rolled to a 4-0 win.

Overwatch is a first-person shooter video game, where teams of six play in front of an audience.

Unlike other eSports leagues such as the League of Legends Championship Series, Blizzard’s new league modeled itself after organizations such as the NFL and NBA, with franchised teams based in major cities.

The league had issues right out of the gate. Many eSports teams thought Blizzard’s $20 million buy-in fee was too high.

However, some eSports teams did buy in, such as Cloud9, owners of the London Spitfire, and Team EnVyUs, who started the Dallas Fuel.

Other franchises were purchased by professional sports team owners. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, founded the Boston Uprising, while Comcast Spectacor, who owns the Philadelphia Flyers, owns the Philadelphia Fusion.

Even as the season approached there were issues and concerns. The Fusion could not make the preseason due to “logistical issues.”

When the first games started being played, all these issues were put in the rear-view mirror. The games were streamed on the popular video game streaming website Twitch.tv.

Viewership numbers were strong. Opening day Jan. 10 saw an average viewership of around 400,000 viewers, according to eSports news website Dot Esports.

Meanwhile, those “logistical issues” seemed to be behind the Fusion as they opened against the Houston Outlaws a day later, which saw the first tiebreaker round of the league.

Each team took two maps, which forced a tie-breaking fifth map, which Philadelphia took to win the match.

Through two weeks of gameplay, three teams remain unbeaten at 4-0: the Dynasty, London Spitfire, and New York Excelsior. Meanwhile, the Fuel join Shanghai Dragons in the winless column at 0-4.

Only time will tell if the league will maintain its momentum and change eSports.

10

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Jan. 23, 2018

ARTS

11

Co-op provides artists clay and community Isabella Alessandrini Staff Writer On the first floor of the Living/Learning Center, UVM’s Pottery Co-op is full of clay-covered hands, spinning wheels and cluttered shelves. Laughter and chatter resounds.

This community for creation and education has offered classes, materials and a space for its members since 1974. Students learn about and create all things ceramic, studio manager Olivia Hartwig said.

For $110 per semester, UVM affiliates of every skill level can enroll in a pottery course and take full advantage of the clay, glazes, demos and kiln provided by the co-op, Hartwig said.

There are eight courses to choose from that cater to people of beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. Some courses are specific and process-based, focusing on a final project, studio director Bech Evans said.

One class, “Afternoon Tea,” culminates in a formal tea party where students drink tea and have tiny sandwiches using the wares they made throughout the semester, Hartwig said.

Plates, mugs, teapots, bowls and a variety of other functional and nonfunctional clay creations line the shelves and surfaces of the studio, all in different stages of completion.

There’s the delicate, gray-colored greenware which

hasn’t yet been fired in the kiln, light pink bisqueware that has been fired once and glazeware that has gone through two firings and a finished glaze, Hartwig said.

Some of the skills taught at the co-op include hand building, wheel throwing, glazing and trimming — none of which you’re expected to know how to do prior to taking a class, Evans said.

“Oh, I don’t care how good your work is,” course instructor Chris Behr said. “Just that you’re willing to come in to the studio and be persistent enough to learn something new.”

Shaping a supportive community of potters is another important goal of the co-op in addition to education, Evans said.

Students in Behr’s classes tend to share tools, tips and stories as they gather and throw clay on the potter’s wheel, he said.

“It’s definitely a nice community to be a part of,” said junior Lindsay Van Gelder, who plans to continue her membership this semester. “I love how therapeutic it is to throw clay.”

Sophomore Gabi Freeda, a current Pottery Co-op member, had positive things to say about the environment within the studio.

“There’s always music going and people engaged in their work. But if you need help, the person next to you is al-

ways willing to show you how to do something,” Freeda said.

“There are people of all levels so you really get a wide range of work and skills available to you.”

As inclusive as the Pottery Co-op strives to be for potters of all levels, obtaining a spot in the studio can be quite competitive, Hartwig said.

“We have to cap the number of people we can accept to 125 members, sadly, to maintain the high quality of our studio,” Hartwig said.

On registration day, the classes tend to fill up “Black Friday-fast,” but those who don’t get in the first time are placed on a waiting list and encouraged to apply again next semester, she said.

CAROLINE SLACK/The Vermont Cynic Student-made pottery pieces sit in the UVM Pottery Co-op in L/L Jan. 21. The Co-op has offered classes, materials and a creative space for students since 1974.

We’re Going to Open the Books on UVM.

1+9= 1+71=

U

1+83= 1+133= 1+250= 1+833= 1+1,00=

• How much does UVM administration really have at its disposal?

VM administrators claim that anything more than sub-inflation raises for faculty will trigger tuition hikes and layoffs. But UVM spends larger sums on administration and marketing every year. Is this really necessary? Come and find out.

Get the facts on UVM spending and join the faculty in the fight to ensure that UVM’s resources go to academics.

• Are adminstrators deliberately starving some departments and programs?

• What are administrators spending tuition dollars on instead?

Join United Academics, the union of faculty at the University of Vermont, as we open the books.

Thursday, February 1 4:30-6:00 pm Waterman 413

sit y

o f Ve

rmont

nU Sustai VM

Uni ted Academ

ics /

Uni

ver

Faculty: W e

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $101,168 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Amount “saved” by laying off faculty and canceling Funding academics 11 Arts and Sciences courses in Spring 2018 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ should be the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ priority at UVM... $853,000 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Approximate annual cost of increasing $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ faculty salaries by a percentage point $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $1,000,000 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Annual cost of three vice presidents in UVM adminstration $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ...but are $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $1,600,000 UVM administrators $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ shortchanging Cost of branding consultant $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ teaching and research? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $3,000,000 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Cost of bridge to connect new dormitory to library $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $10,000,000 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Cost of new basketball stadium $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ $12,000,000 $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Annual difference if UVM spent the same % of its budget on academics as peer institutions $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

For more on the campaign to Stop Shortchanging Academics at UVM, check out www.uafaircontract.org

ARTS

12

The Vermont Cynic

Jan. 23, 2018

Seasoned musican performs at Lane Series Sarah Robinson Staff Writer

Somewhere between a violin, cello and the human voice lies the sound the theremin. Its relative, with its distinctive red neoprene keyboard, is the Continuum Fingerboard.

Composer and performer Rob Schwimmer is a maestro of both these instruments, and he’s coming to UVM. The UVM Lane Series, a foundation devoted to enriching the culture of UVM through concerts and performances, is sponsoring Schwimmer’s concert “Heart of Hearing” Jan. 26.

The performance will consist of classic Americana-jazz tunes as well as his own compositions for the theremin and the Haken Continuum.

The theremin was invented by Léon Theremin in Russia in 1920, in the midst of the Russian Civil War, according to a 2012 BBC article.

Two metal antennas form a space between them called a pitch field. One hand moves to control the volume while the other hand controls the frequency and pitch. All of this is done without physical contact with the instrument. The result is an eerie, haunting melody. The theremin can play any original or classic composition.

The Haken Continuum is a keyboard with a sound that’s a cross between an organ and funk bass.

The Continuum Fingerboard, as it is commonly known, has three axises. As a

art formed the duo Polygraph Lounge, a group whose sound is bizarre and harmonious.

Mary Huhn of the New York Post described the duo as “musically high-minded but hilariously lowbrow and always maniacal” in a March 2007 article.

In many ways, Schwimmer performs as if he is one with the theremin — eyes closed, mouth moving and both hands conducting the theremin without touch.

Videos of Schwimmer covering The Beatles’ song “Because” and Eric Clapton’s “Steppin’ Out” on the Haken Continuum can be found on his YouTube channel.

A discussion with Schwimmer will follow the performance, which is at 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 26 in the UVM Recital Hall.

Tickets are $25 for the general public and $5 for students, and can be purchased at uvm.edu/ laneseries.

Come listen!

Heart of Hearing with Rob Schwimmer COURTESY/The Vermont Cynic Rob Schwimmer plays the theremin. Schwimmer will be performing at the UVM Recital Hall as part of the Lane Series Jan. 26.

With a career spanning over He has shared the stage hand moves to the right on the x-axis, applying more pressure, 30 years, Schwimmer has per- with Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie the sounds gets higher, like a formed on stages around the Wonder and Willie Nelson.

Schwimmer and multi-inpiano. The “key” is played by world and with some of music’s most acclaimed musicians. strumentalist Mark Stewadding pressure to the y-axis.

7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26 UVM Recital Hall Southwick, Redstone Campus

Students and faculty delve into books during break

Jean McBride Staff Writer

During winter break, members of the UVM community spent their time catching up on good books.

Although college students and professors have plenty of assigned reading during the semester, 83 percent of 18 to 29 year-olds are likely to read for pleasure in their free time, according to the Pew Research Center.

While your course work is light, be sure to curl up with these recommendations.

Senior Verena Nelson recommended “How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain” by renowned psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett.

The psychology book explores Barrett’s new theory about how emotions are constructed through experiences and culture and claims that they are not universally expressed reactions, according to her website.

“I recommend this book to any psychology or neuroscience student, but also anyone interested in how the brain works,” Nelson said.

Senior Julia Stern read fiction over break.

She escaped into “Big Little Lies” by Liane Moriarty. The novel is about three very different women with school-aged children whose paths cross in the aftermath of a murder.

Published in 2014, “Big Lit-

BRIGITTE RIORDAN tle Lies” was recently turned into an award-winning TV series for HBO. Stern cited the TV series as her inspiration for reading the book.

“The book has a sense of female empowerment, so definitely women would like it, but it also has a sense of mystery, so it keeps you going,” she said.

Reese Witherspoon, who acts in the TV adaptation,

helped promote the book through her book club, according to a March 2017 USA Today article. “Big Little Lies” has since spent over 90 weeks on the USA Today bestseller list.

Theatre department chair Gregory Ramos read the novel “Call Me by Your Name” by André Aciman.

The novel is the story of an intimate relationship that

blossoms between a teenager and a graduate student in his mid-twenties in Italy.

“Anyone interested in LGBTQ issues or anyone interested in contemporary literature might like it,” Ramos said.

He also called Aciman’s writing style quite poetic.

“Call Me By Your Name” was adapted into a critically acclaimed film in November

2017, and has been nominated for numerous awards including three Golden Globes, according to IMDb. Students and staff read both educational and acclaimed texts while on break. With the weather remaining snowy and frigid for many more months, you’ll have a good excuse to head to the library and check out one of them.